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Re: Informal term for 'parallel park'?

In case the OP doesn't know the difference:

Parallel parking = you drive your car until it is parallel to another car in the road but which has a parking space behind it. You then reverse the car into the parking space, manoeuvring it backwards and left/right (depending on which side of the road you are parking on) at the same time until you are in the parking space. You should now be parallel to the kerb and can stop the car and go about your business.

Double parking = you stop your car immediately next to another parked car and then leave it there. This is illegal. It blocks the road and means that the other parked car can't drive away.

Re: Informal term for 'parallel park'?

Oy. Parallel parking. It's more prominent in the UK, especially in highly populated cities, because there isn't much vacant land available. So drivers must parallel park - pull their vehicle into a parking space alongside a curb (ooops, "kerb" ) in a narrow space between other parked cars. I grew up and still reside in the Midwestern US, where the majority of businesses have parking lots ("car parks" in the UK) and you have plenty of room to maneuver into a parking space. In fact, when I took my driving test to get my license 'way back when, the examiner didn't bother to have me parallel park as part of my road test - "Unless you're in downtown Detroit, where else would you need to parallel park?" he shrugged. Imagine my dismay the first time I rented a car in England and discovered that most of London and the outer-most boroughs had only parallel parking available for restaurants, B & Bs, etc. (aside from the few businesses that had parking garages available but which charged more by the day than I pay on my monthly mortgage ). It was literally a crash course in parallel parking for me, as I had to pay for several crushed wheel covers when I scraped against the curb (kerb) while trying to avoid smacking into the cars in front and back of me.

Re: Informal term for 'parallel park'?

Originally Posted by Mehrgan

Thank you, but indeed I meant "parallel parking". Such a bother it is!

It's sometimes referred to as 'reverse park(ing)'. However, that expression can also be used for reversing into a space between two cars in a car park, when you end up parallel to the cars next to you - not the same thing. What emsr2d2 described is one of the things that may be, but does not have to be, tested in the British driving test. What I have added is not part of the test.

Re: Informal term for 'parallel park'?

I didn't know my worst driving nightmare was called 'parallel parking'. In Argentina, too, it's imperative to master it. For some reason (the gods smiled upon me that day) when I sat my first driving test I did it impeccably in three manoeuvres. Never again in my life. Now, I ask you, who cares if I do it in twenty manoeuvres if the result is fine?!!!!!